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Players select Trout for AL's Outstanding Rookie

Players select Trout for AL's Outstanding Rookie

Mike Trout discusses being awarded the Players Choice Award for Outstanding Rookie, American League

By Zack Meisel
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MLB.com |

Mike Trout left quite an impression during his rookie campaign, in which he compiled a historic stat line and established himself as a candidate for the American League Most Valuable Player Award.

His peers certainly were impressed. On Monday, Trout garnered the distinction of Outstanding Rookie in the AL, as voted on by his AL colleagues in the annual Players Choice Awards, presented by the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Earlier Monday, Wilson selected Trout as the American League Defensive Player of the Year.

"It means a lot," Trout said during the broadcast of the Players Choice Awards on MLB Network. "You go out there day-in and day-out and play with these guys. ... Having this award feels great."

Trout joined the Angels in late April after the team struggled out of the gate to the tune of a 6-14 record. By the end of the regular season, Los Angeles finished with 89 wins and Trout posted a .326 batting average with 129 runs, 30 homers, 83 RBIs and 49 stolen bases. Those numbers helped him garner the honor in favor of Oakland center fielder Yoenis Cespedes and Texas right-hander Yu Darvish.

"It went so fast," said Trout, who turned 21 on Aug. 7. "I was having so much fun. In a blink of an eye, it was over."

The Players Trust donated $20,000 to the charity of Trout's choice. He opted for the Millville Baseball Program in his hometown of Millville, N.J.

"It gives me a chance to give back to the program and let kids have what I wanted when I was there," Trout said. "I'm just incredibly humbled and honored to get this award."

Zack Meisel is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @zackmeisel. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.